Today marks the return to hill work on my training plan.
I’ve been looking forward to today with an odd mixture of dread and glee.
Yes I said it…glee! Because while I know in the moment of running repeats, my quads will be burning and I’ll be cursing like a sailor that there’s the other side – there’s the strength training and confidence building that only running hills can bring.
And I’ve seen the results – last summer Coach Bennett introduced me to hill work and I truly thought the man was trying to kill me 🙂 Then I faced ZOOMA’s hilly Cape Cod course and the Newton hills of the Chilly half! While both courses were definitely challenging, the hill work Bennett had put me through prepared me both mentally and physically and I PR’d both courses! That’s where the glee comes in, from knowing the potential payoff.
So for the next few weeks, Thursdays are Hill Days and I say “Bring it on!”
Do you do specific hill training? Or do hills make you want to run screaming in the other direction?
I have a hilly half coming up and I’m a bit apprehensive b/c I have focused on the flats lately since that was what my marathon was. But I’ll get there…luckily? I have plenty of hills around here to practice on!
Very nice article Michelle. I have done just one hill marathon and it was great experience. good luck with your hill training.
I love and dread hills too. They really help though, I try to do hill repeats at least twice a week.
I like doing hills but don’t necessarily seek them out :). I try to just pick routes where I know I can get a few good hills in to push myself a bit.
Hills and I don’t really get along. But I train on them if I have a hilly race on tap. I’d love to revisit those Newton Hills some day…
Happy Easter!
I’m am so not a hill fan. I’ve come to accept that hills are a necessary evil and have stopped avoiding them. Motivating post for sure! Love the do them image 🙂